Holy Spirit Leadership & Ministry Practice DMin Cohort
Application Deadline: June 1, 2020
Overview
Fuller’s Doctor of Ministry cohort in Holy Spirit Leadership & Ministry Practice offers a unique learning context for students to engage in an ongoing, in-depth, sustained study of the life of the Holy Spirit within the Bible, theology, and Christian history that will transform the students approach to leadership, church, ministry, and life. Each year’s cohort will be led by the lead mentor—alongside a distinguished guest lecturer—for a face-to-face experience during a 5-day (Mon-Fri) retreat in Pasadena, California on the Fuller Campus. This in-person intensive time will be followed by an online portion with instruction from the lead mentor and engagement with cohort peers. The mentorship component will strategically pair students with a mentor in their field, helping deepen the student’s awareness of the Holy Spirit in life, vocation, and ministry.
The cohort will be a hybrid format of in-person and online instruction. Each year, the on-campus intensive course gathering will be five days of lecture. A guest lecturer will present for two days. Dr. A.J. Swoboda will lead lecture and dialogue for the other three days in-person and carry this forward into the online portion of the class in the weeks to follow.
Cohort Overview
Year One
God's Spirit in Scripture, History, and Theology
Jan 25-29, 2021 (12 units)
The concentration of gathering of the first year is to frame the entire three-year experience, developing a broad and robust understanding of the life of the Holy Spirit in both biblical and historical theological contexts. What does the Bible say about the Holy Spirit? What does historical theology say about the life of the Holy Spirit? This is a foundation that will be built upon for the entire three-year period.
Special attention will be given to the pneumatology of the early church. Components of the course will focus on:
1) A biblical view of the Holy Spirit; 2) historical controversies regarding the Spirit (i.e. Montanism); 3) the ongoing relationship between Spirit and Scripture; and 4) how the historic Christian church has understood and conceptualized the life of the Spirit in the believer, the church, and the world; 5) establishing a historically “orthodox” theology of the Spirit; 6) the exploration of the Spirit’s “gift” in each student; and, 7) the beginning of virtual mentorship with their paired mentor. The cohort will meet on the Fuller Pasadena campus.
Year Two
God’s Spirit in Experience & Practice
Co-taught with Mark Cartledge
Jan 24-28, 2022 (12 units)
The emphasis in year two will be framed by the biblical command to “being filled with the Holy Spirit.” (Eph. 5:18) What does “being” filled mean in the present sense? How can we do that? The cohort will explore the practical and experiential dynamics of the life of the Holy Spirit as lived out in real life. The emphasis of this year will center on 1) Christian formation and a robust theology of the Spirit; 2) the contribution of the Charismatic and Pentecostal traditions to the global church; 3) the gifts of the Holy Spirit in individual and corporate contexts; 4) the dangers and abuses of the life of the Spirit in contemporary and historical practice; 5) a reading of leadership as a practice of Holy Spirit giftedness; 6) leading with discernment; and, 7) the continuation of mentorship.
Year Three
God's Spirit in Leadership & Mission
Jan 23-27, 2023 (12 units)
The third year will expand the students engagement of the Holy Spirit in both leadership and missional respects. The main themes that will be developed in this years conversation will be: 1) the relationship between the Holy Spirit and global crises; 2) particular attention will be given to a pneumatological understanding to the environmental crisis; 3) the Holy Spirit and evangelism; 4) Spirit and mission; 5) Spirit, principalities, and powers; 6) an orthodox theology of Holy Spirit as they relate to gender and sexuality; and, 7) the continuation of mentorship with the paired mentor. The cohort will meet on the Fuller Pasadena campus.
Year Four-Five
Doctoral Project Phase (8 units)
- 4-unit Elective (independent study or an elective from the Course Schedule)
- DM710: online doctoral project proposal course (2 units)
- DM706: doctoral project writing phase (6 units)
- 60- and 64-units students have will need to complete an additional 12 or 16 units of coursework. Please see the DMin main page for more information.
INSTRUCTOR
Dr. A. J. Swoboda, Ph.D
Dr. A. J. Swoboda (PhD, Birmingham) is assistant professor of Bible, theology, and World Christianity at Bushnell University. As well, he leads a Doctor of Ministry program around the Holy Spirit and Leadership at Fuller Seminary. He is the author of a number of books, including the award-winning Subversive Sabbath (Brazos) and the forthcoming After Doubt. He is married to Quinn and is the proud father of Elliot. They live and work in Eugene, Oregon.
Guest Professors
Dr. Mark J. Cartledge, Ph.D
Professor of Practical Theology at Regent University School of Divinity, Virginia Beach. He is a priest in the Church of England and has served in parish and university campus ministries. He has also taught in seminaries and secular universities. At Regent School of Divinity, he teaches courses in theology, as well as research methods for Doctor of Ministry students. Since coming to Regent University, he has developed a new course in Cyber Theology, which has proved very popular with students and there are plans to develop an MA program in the near future. His main research over the years has focused on Pentecostal and Charismatic Christianity, often using empirical research methods to explore contemporary beliefs and practices. He is currently finishing a book on the subject of megachurches and their social engagement in London, as well as writing a set of studies exploring pneumatology, ecclesiology, and Public Theology.